Ever thought about how you could make your hotel contact center work better for you? The hotel contact center plays a key role in converting first-time guests into regular guests and encouraging repeat business from existing patrons.
Today’s post is your complete guide to effective hotel contact center management. I’ll go into each of your best practices and tell you a bit about what makes them valuable.
I’ll also walk you through how to use the practices in your own hotel and give some tips and examples on how to implement each one.
Standardize Procedures
Hotel contact centers are not your average call center. You have different types of guests, and they all have different needs.
Running a standardized operating system is one of the essentials of running an effective customer relationship. There are some standard procedures that you should apply to every call or interaction with a guest.
A good example is creating a standardized process for handling calls, which includes steps such as call review, call recording and call escalation. These procedures will help you maintain consistent service across your hotel contact center, which is vital if you want to stay competitive in the industry.
Get a Local IVR Number
An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system is a telephone system that allows people to interact with their phones in ways that they couldn’t before. For example, hotels often use these text-to-speech and DTMF-based technologies to create an automated attendant or menu system on which guests can access different service options.
For your IVR menu to work effectively, you need a local number on the other end, so callers don’t have to pay long-distance fees if they want to speak with someone immediately.
For example, if your business operates out of Florida, getting local Florida phone numbers means you can provide better customer service while also saving money.
Optimize Staffing Levels
One mistake that many hotels make is over-staffing their contact centers. Having more than fewer agents may seem better, but this isn’t always true. Every hotel has unique needs, so optimizing staffing levels based on those needs makes sense.
For example, suppose your hotel gets tons of calls from people looking for directions but very few calls from people who need help checking into their rooms. In that case, it’s probably not worth having a dedicated agent answer those calls.
Use a Call Center Monitoring System
You can’t manage your hotel contact center if you don’t know how it’s doing. That’s why it’s essential to use a call center monitoring system like SalesforceIQ. A good call center monitoring system will allow you to track your calls and determine which ones are most important.
An effective call center monitoring system also allows you to see how long each call takes and how many agents are available at any given time. This information can be very helpful when it comes time for budget planning or staffing decisions.
Outsource Non-Core Processes
Hotel contact centers are often called upon to handle an array of tasks that are not directly related to their core function — like answering questions about various topics, including room types and amenities, room rates, special offers, and more.
It makes sense because it allows hotels to keep costs down, but what happens when agents are expected to do more than just answer calls? What if they’re also required to field guest complaints or help guests book tours and make dinner reservations at local restaurants?
These tasks can quickly become overwhelming, which is why hotels must outsource these non-core processes as much as possible.
Create Incentives and Rewards Programs
There are many ways to incentivize employees, but one of the most effective ways is through rewards programs. Rewards can include gift cards, trips, tickets to sporting events or entertainment venues, and even cash bonuses.
These programs will encourage employees to go the extra mile for guests, which can be a great way to reward them for their hard work.
Conclusion
Of course, staying abreast of current contact center management trends is important. But even so, it’s possible that you may be overlooking certain opportunities in your business.
I hope this guide can help inform your future search for contact center management for your hotel and perhaps give you a few new ideas as you implement them in your hospitality business management.
